on
went astray, and got into the German lines. Of course the Huns made
the most of it, and we suffered pretty heavily. As it happened I was
at that time in the confidence of the General in command of the D.H.Q.,
and there seemed no one else on whom suspicion could fall. But I was
warned in time. I had been told that both Springfield and St. Mabyn
had been in close confab with the General, and I knew that if they
could do me a nasty turn, they would. So I checkmated them.'

'How? Tell me the details.'

'I'm afraid I mustn't do that. You know how military secrets are
regarded, and as even yet the scheme I discussed with the General is
not completed, my lips are sealed. But I found that Springfield had
suggested to the General that my loss of memory was very fishy--a mere
blind in fact to cover up a very suspicious past. He also told him he
was sure he had seen me, in pre-war days, in Berlin, wearing the
uniform of a German officer. Had I not been able to show an absolutely
clean sheet I should have been done for. As it was, there was a time
when I wouldn't have given a sou for my life. I was, of course, shut
off from the General's confidence, and pending the results of the
inquiry was practically a prisoner.'

'I say, old man, you can't mean that?'

'Fact, I assure you. Still as nothing, absolutely _nothing_ wrong
could be traced to me, and as----'

'Yes, what,' I said as he hesitated.

'Oh, a little thing I was mixed up in came off rather well--very well
in fact.'

'What? Don't keep me in suspense, old man.'

'Oh, nothing much; nothing worth talking about. Still I may as well
tell you as it's bound to come out. It seems I am to get the D.S.O.'

'The D.S.O.! Great, old man! I congratulate you with all my heart.
Tell me about it,' I cried.

'It was really nothing. Still I had concocted a scheme which gave us a
big advantage. It was rather risky, but it came off so well
that--that--it got to the notice of the G.H.Q. and--and--there you are.
When the details of my little stunt became known to the Chief he--he
said it was impossible for its author to be anything but a loyal
Englishman, that I was a valuable man, and all that sort of rot.'

Of course I read between the lines. I knew Edgecumbe's reticence about
anything he had done, and I was sure he had accomplished a big thing.

'It came in jolly handy to me,' he went on, 'for it spiked
Springfield's guns right away, and I was regarded as s